The union and the works council stood up and broke off the negotiations – according to the AUA management’s statement in the ongoing conflict over salary increases for flying staff. “We are always ready to negotiate,” said the AUA spokeswoman. The company presented a significantly improved offer. The union just has to get in touch.
The Vida union, whose aviation department is negotiating on behalf of the AUA on-board works council, also says: “We are ready to negotiate.” The AUA board should put an honest offer on the table. Instead, the interruption of the negotiation was interpreted as a termination.
The representations of the two sides could hardly be more different. The agreement ran until midnight, by which time they wanted to agree on an increase in salaries for flight attendants, co-pilots and pilots. Yesterday both sides passed the buck to each other.
The Lufthansa subsidiary presents its offer as follows: a salary increase of up to 18 percent for a contract lasting 22 months. The package would even mean an increase of up to 28 percent for the co-pilots. The company has substantially improved its original offer.
The union counters that the company’s presentation falls short, the offer is still in the range of inflation compensation and is incomprehensible after a record year. The workforce is being forced into industrial action.
It is feared that air traffic will be disrupted in the week before Easter. These could be company meetings or strikes by on-board staff with around 3,500 employees. The most recent board staff meeting resulted in 120 flight cancellations.
There is hardly any lead time required for a strike. “All we need to do is press a button to inform the employees,” says the union.
